Bell’s Palsy Lawyer Denver, CO
Do not delay in reaching out to a Bell’s Palsy lawyer in Denver, CO, if your child is born with Bell’s Palsy because of a birth injury. The birth of a child should be exciting, it’s something you and your family have been waiting on. So it’s disheartening when a birth injury happens due to medical malpractice.
Symptoms and Causes of Bell’s Palsy
Bell’s Palsy, or facial palsy, or facial paralysis is the paralysis of weakness of the muscles on one side of a person’s face. Bell’s Palsy is a condition in which you cannot control the facial muscles on the affected side of your face. Because of damage to the facial nerves, your affected side will droop.
The most common signs of Bell’s Palsy are:
- There is a lack of movement on one side of the face.
- There is excessive drooling.
- They are unable to blink on the affected side of the face.
Bell’s Palsy can affect your child’s sense of taste, tear production and saliva. This condition ranges from mild to severe, and while it is not long-term typically, there are times where it may cause other serious complications to arise.
Here are several causes of Bell’s Palsy:
- Improper use of forceps during a delivery.
- Head trauma, causing a skull fracture and leading to paralysis of the facial nerves.
- A long labor, or prolonged pregnancy.
- Diabetes in the mother.
- An epidural is used improperly.
- Anesthesia is used improperly during delivery.
- There is a past history of birth trauma to the mother.
- The mother has a viral infection, and the physicians did not catch it.
- The child was deprived of oxygen.
- The mother and child had sepsis.
A Bell’s Palsy lawyer in Denver, CO can help you figure out if you have the basis for a case. Medical malpractice, especially for Bell’s Palsy, can be hard to prove because the cause of Bell’s Palsy often goes undetected in infants. Therefore, a lawyer that is well-versed in birth injuries is your best bet.
Your lawyer will go through your medical history with you and go over your child’s. They’ll be searching for any sign that the standard of care was not delivered, and therefore the hospital staff was negligent.
Some Facts About Facial Paralysis in Children
These are general facts about facial paralysis in children, and these facts by no means are to indicate that you should not speak to a lawyer if your child is born with Bell’s Palsy.
- Facial paralysis in children is rare.
- It can be acquired at birth, or present at birth (congenital).
- One or both sides of the child’s face may be affected.
- Bell’s Palsy typically resolves on its own.
If something seems wrong with your child after birth or shortly thereafter, seek the advice of a medical professional. Richard J. Banta, P.C., a birth injury lawyer Denver, CO, can help your family find out if they have a case and who is responsible for your child’s birth injury.
